


Nightmarecember 2020

by Shadowinflame



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bittersweet, Bittersweet Ending, Comfort/Angst, Crosstale Sans (Undertale), Crosstale Sans/Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Dreamtale Nightmare Sans/Dreamtale Sans | Dream (Undertale), Dreamtale Nightmare Sans/Killer Sans (Undertale), Dreamtale Sans | Dream (Undertale), Dusttale Sans (Undertale), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Killer Sans (Undertale) - Freeform, Multi, Underlust Sans (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 7,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowinflame/pseuds/Shadowinflame
Summary: My entries for Nightmarecember 2020 hosted by Sirsen on Tumblr/TwitterI didn't do all days, but those I did are also uploaded on my Tumblr and you might have seen them there already xDFunctional table of contents included
Relationships: Bad Guys Poly, Dreammare, Killermare, NightKiller, Nightcross - Relationship
Comments: 19
Kudos: 78





	1. Table of Contents

[Day 1: Bittersweet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727170)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, others mentioned  
Relationships: Killer/Nightmare (onesided/past)  
Overall feel: Bittersweet  
Length in Words: 470

~~Day 2: Bad Sanses~~

[Day 3: Cold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727254)  
Characters: Nightmare, Cross  
Relationships: Nightmare/Cross (not necessarily romantic)  
Overall feel: fluff  
Length in Words: 560

[Day 4: Fears / Day 5: Nightmares](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727287)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, Horror, Dust, Cross  
Relationships: Bad Guys Poly (friendship/romance/anything)  
Overall feel: angsty at the start, fluff  
Length in Words: 320

[Day 6: Old Friend](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727308#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream  
Relationships: not really? Though, if you want  
Overall feel: Bittersweet  
Length in Words: 330

[Day 7: Shattered](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727323#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare   
Relationships: Bad Guys Poly (background/not really)  
Overall feel: angst  
Length in Words: 200

[Day 8: Snow](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727341#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, Horror, Dust, Cross, Dream (mentioned)  
Relationships: kinda Dreammare and Bad Guys Poly (not necessarily romantic)  
Overall feel: Bittersweet  
Length in Words: 430

[Day 9: Icicles](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727410#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Horror   
Relationships: none  
Overall feel: fluff/humor  
Length in Words: Drawing!

[Day 10: Turkey](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727428#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, Horror, Dust,  
Relationships: not really  
Overall feel: fluff/humor  
Length in Words: 270

[Day 11: Cards](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727446)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, Horror, Dust, Cross  
Relationships: not really  
Overall feel: fluff/humor  
Length in Words: 210

[Day 12: Tree](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727530)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream, others mentioned  
Relationships: brothers/friends  
Overall feel: fluff/angst  
Length in Words: 500

[Day 13: Blitz and Day 14: Pie](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727563#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream  
Relationships: yes  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort  
Length in Words: 430

~~Day 15: Tasteless~~   
~~Day 16: Defective~~

[Day 17: Candles](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727590#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Killer, others mentioned  
Relationships: kinda  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort, angst  
Length in Words: 350

~~Day 18: Spiked Eggnog~~   
~~Day 19: Fruitcake~~

[Day 20: Red](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727602#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, others mentioned  
Relationships: none  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort, angst  
Length in Words: 360

[Day 21: Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727620#workskin)  
Characters: Dream, Nightmare   
Relationships: Dreammare (not brothers AU)  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort  
Length in Words: 320

~~Day 22: Bundled up~~   
~~Day 23: Sled~~   
~~Day 24: Stocking~~

[Dream and Nightmare's birthday 21/12](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727671#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream  
Relationships: if you want?  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort, bittersweet  
Length in Words: 1050

[Day 25: Reunion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727845#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream  
Relationships: if you want?  
Overall feel: hurt/comfort, fluff  
Length in Words: 820

~~Day 26: Ham~~   
~~Day 27: Illwill~~   
~~Day 28: Bad Tidings~~

[Day 29: Tradition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727872#workskin)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream  
Relationships: if you want?  
Overall feel: bittersweet  
Length in Words: 300

~~Day 30: Gifts~~

[Day 31: Sleep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454931/chapters/69727899)  
Characters: Nightmare, Dream, Killer, Horror, Dust, Cross, Hearts(Underlust!Sans)  
Relationships: Bad Guys Poly (+Hearts and Error), Star Sans Poly (+Hearts)  
Overall feel: bittersweet, hurt/comfort  
Length in Words: 480


	2. Day 1: Bittersweet

“I see”, Nightmare said, his expression not revealing anything about the turmoil inside of him as he was still sitting in the same relaxed posture he always did.

“That's.. all?”, Killer asked, already half expecting a fight with the darker skeleton.

“You can leave when you're ready”, Nightmare told him, “but don't forget what this place has been to you. You can come back whenever you want, visit the others for they might miss you. Our doors are open to you as long as you don't drag the enemy behind your back.”

Killer was taken aback, this was not what he expected at all, and yet..

“Thank you, boss”, he nodded before he turned around and teleported off to his room.

Nightmare took a moment to make sure he was really gone before he opened a portal of his own, going back to the one place he knew no one would interrupt him.

He sat down next to what remained of that tree, pulling his knees up to his chest and laying his head into his arms, his tentacles hiding him from the eyes that weren't there.

It wasn't about what he almost had with Killer, not about all the little things he did for the other – he told himself that. He was happy for him, happy Killer had found someone that gave him more than Nightmare ever could. He did everything to drag him out from the pit he found him in, now it was someone else's turn to care for him.

He didn't know how long he spent there, but he knew he was back before anyone noticed his absence.

Killer left the next day already, he had packed most things in advance, only came back for some things he had left with the others.

And that was it, all it took was Killer, the self-proclaimed right hand of the king, leaving without consequences for the rest of the team to slowly admit they had people as well, lovers or friends they wanted to go to, stay with. All Nightmare did was nod, wish them good riddance and watch them go. He told himself it was better this way, he had never been a good influence, never had full control of his aura. They were better off without him.

Nobody had noticed that menacing smile turn to a bittersweet one, but bittersweet it stayed. The reign of the king of nightmares ended as silent as it began and he was never seen again, barely talked about in hushed voices or horror-stories one would tell their children if they refused to sleep.

Bittersweet they say, are the stories that make you smile with a frown on your brow. Nightmare smiled with a tear in his eye as he watched his children grow up without him.


	3. Day 3: Cold

Negativity was no warm feeling. Nightmare shivered as another wave of negativity ran through him. Nightmare knew Horror was doing his best in taking care of Dust and he was more than capable of it, but he couldn't help but worry still and it kept him from focusing on the book he was reading. He sighed quietly and got up, leaving the library he sat in.

Just as he turned around after closing the door behind himself he ran into Cross. Out of all people it just had to be him. Much to Nightmare's annoyance the former soldier was oblivious to a lot of things - one of them being the small hints of affection Nightmare tried to throw his way every now and then – but he was also horribly aware of other things, which annoyed Nightmare equally as much, since that mostly were those that he wanted to hide.

“Ah, Nightmare!”, he exclaimed after he caught himself. “S-sorry, I didn't expect you to-”

“What are you doing here anyway?”, Nightmare asked, it came out a whole lot more annoyed than he wanted to.

“I- well”, Cross stuttered. “I was.. I wanted to.. check on you? You've been in there for.. quite a while and..”

“Well, as you can see, I am just about to leave. I will go to my room now and so should you. It's getting late.” Nightmare barely finished his sentence as he already started to walk away.

“Wait, Nightmare, you're-!”, Cross exclaimed, grabbing Nightmare by the wrist to stop him from leaving. Once his hand touched the other he stopped in shock, completely forgetting what he wanted to say. “You're.. cold”, he said instead. “Ice cold..”

Nightmare pulled his wrist free with a grunt. “So what?”, he spat. “If that's all you got to say you might as well have kept your mouth shut! And now, I will leave.”

“Wait, no, Nightmare, why-”

“I don't need to explain anything to you.”

“Fine, be that way”, Cross huffed.

Nightmare barely got a second to realize what the other said before he got scooped up into the strong arms of his subordinate and – oh, hell he was warm. Nightmare couldn't control it as his body subconsciously leaned closer to the other's warm chest, his head right above Cross' soul.

“You don't have to tell me why you're cold, but I'll definitely make sure you'll get warm again!”

That was just another thing he absolutely _hated_ about Cross. If the other had his mind set on something, he would pull it through no matter what. Once Nightmare was placed on top of Cross' bed and wrapped in all the blankets the other could find he knew he wasn't gonna leave again any time soon.

Cross left for a few minutes – but not before making sure Nightmare couldn't get out of the blankets on his own – then came back with two cups of hot cocoa, freeing Nightmare's hands and giving one to him. It was nice, well made and not too sweet and it warmed Nightmare quite a bit.

As Cross suddenly sat down and hugged him though, the only thing he felt throughout his whole body was the warmth of the other. (And maybe, just maybe there was this warm feeling spreading through both their souls)


	4. Day 4: Fears / Day 5: Nightmares

_He just stood there, laughing maniacally while the blood dripped from his tentacles, dust coating his clothes and sticking to his tentacles as he turned around to look at Killer, the last one still standing. They knew not to approach him when he was low on negativity, knew he could easily snap._

_But they did._

_They should have never, oh they should have never attempted to leave him. Invading his hiding spot just to tell him how much they hated him, saying they would leave, they found someone better._

_He refused to acknowledge the tears that streamed down his face, pressing his eyes shut as his tentacle finally pierced the other's target-shaped soul._

And Nightmare woke up, breathing hard. He woke up wrapped in blankets and cuddled by all his subordinates. Horror was hugging a tentacle in his sleep, Dust leaned on his shoulder while Cross and Killer had somehow managed to sprawl across Nightmare's lap while cuddling each other. And Nightmare remembered the movie night and how he must have fallen asleep.

He sighed, why did this dream had to come back to haunt him after such a nice evening?

_We're leaving_

_You aren't worth our company_

_What's the use of it if you can't even feed us_

_King of nightmares huh? Don't think anyone would be scared of you without your crew on your side_

They had never said that. They liked him and they were here, cuddled up to him alive and breathing. He hadn't done anything to them and they wouldn't leave him, he knew it, they had made sure of it.

So he hugged his arms around them, his tentacles draped over the sofa they were all on, as far away from them as he could get them for now. They were all here, everything was okay.

Having reassured himself enough, Nightmare allowed himself to fall back asleep.

The king of nightmares doesn't fear anything.


	5. Day 6: Old Friend

Walking through the portal Nightmare moved, sure in his steps and direction. It was the tree that was his destination – as it was so often, though this time the tree was a lot shorter, all it's life gone the moment his-

It was better not to think about it too much.

“I'm sorry”, he mumbled as he sat down. Even though he had apologized the first time he came back something inside of him urged him to say it every time he came back to visit.

Reaching through the dead roots of the tree he pulled a teddy from underneath it. It was Dream's first sewing project and he gave it to Nightmare back then. He treasured it ever since.

“Hello old friend”, he mumbled quietly, “still holding on I see.” He turned the toy around a few times, checking every seam. “Well, a little hurt”, he finally said.

 _Just like I am_ , his mind told him.

“But don't worry, I'll patch you up”, he reassured the plush and ripped a piece out of the sweater he was wearing before he took thread and needle out of his pocket. “I know black isn't your colour and this is usually Dream's job, but... well, he isn't home right now.”

He sewed the piece of clothing over the hole in the teddy, then held it in front of himself, inspecting his work. “I'm sorry, it's slightly goopy.. and badly sewn”, he breathed disappointed. “.. next time, I promise I'll bring something better next time.”

As much as he wanted to, he refrained from cuddling the teddy in order not to get it dirtier than it already was. Looking at it one last time he stored it back under the tree's roots and stood up.

He walked over to a grey monument, a statue of a person it seemed.

He cupped it's cheeks, nuzzling his brother slightly. "Come home soon please", he whispered and a stray tear ran down his face. "We miss you, Dream."


	6. Day 7: Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> can be seen as an unwritten part of "One More Time"

Nightmare looked at himself in the mirror. The black liquid that used to cover him was gone - as was his right eye light, irreparable even with the healing power of the weird slime that used to run off him regularly. The socket stayed black no matter how hard he focused to summon his magic to it.

The other however was back to its usual purple glow and Nightmare almost laughed at the irony.

Shattered

That's what he was. Mind and body broken, his outside finally representing the turmoil that still rummaged inside of him, no longer hidden behind the strange power the apples gave him.

Cracks of old wounds and scars left behind by the corruption still marked his body, not everything was healed, not even in five hundred years.

Shattered

As was the mirror he was looking at, his reflection even more broken in the cracked pieces of glass. Blood was running down his hand, actual blood, no longer the black goop that seemed to have made everything so much easier.

Shattered

And Nightmare wondered if he had done the right thing.

But in the end

There were people that were worth so much more than his own life ever was.


	7. Day 8: Snow

Dust and Horror stood at the window, looking out while Cross tried to get a peek as well, jumping around behind them.

"Woah!", he exclaimed as he finally saw what had the other two so excited. "This is the first time I saw it snow here!"

"Same for us", Horror chimed.

"It's so much already, it must've snowed through the whole night", Dust stated.

"Well", Killer laughed as he hugged all of them from behind, "You know what that means, right?"

Cross wanted to ask where Killer came from, but was interrupted by Dust and Horror running off while screaming they wouldn't loose. Killer grabbed Cross by the arm and dragged him out to the yard as well.

Nightmare sat on the roof, looking at the spectacle that unfolded on the castle's yard in front of him. His boys were having fun and the corners of his mouth *almost* curved upwards. But as fast as the moment came it vanished again as well and he wore his usual frown again. His mind was wandering to directions he didn't like.

"You're thinking about him again, right?", Killer asked, sitting down next to Nightmare. He must've teleported up there. "It's the first time I saw snow here."

"It's the second time I see snow here", Nightmare mumbled, still in thought. "He would've liked it."

"You know it's not too late for-"

"It is", Nightmare interrupted him. "Five hundred years too late." Nightmare looked off to the yard again where the remaining three were still throwing snowballs at each other. "It doesn't matter anyway", he said. "I have all I could ever ask for."

"Liar", Killer huffed. "We are not enough, it's obvious. Not enough to distract you from the bond that ties you to him. You want _him_ , Nightmare. You _need_ him. Like a flower needs the rain and the sun. You are drawn to him like the night is to the day, the sun to the moon. You can't have one without the other. I'm sure he feels it too."

"I've been hunting him down ever since he woke up", Nightmare sighed. "Nothing I can do could ever make it up to him."

"He's been trying to talk to you, reconcile even-", Killer stopped for a moment as he watched Nightmare crawl into himself. He sighed. "He hasn't stopped trying even a single time. Consider it", Killer said and stood up again.

He teleported back down to join the ongoing snowball fight, but not before he said one last thing.

_"I'm sure it's what he wants as well, playing in the snow with you."_


	8. Day 9: Icicles




	9. Day 10: Turkey

"That is-"

"A turkey", Dust finished for Killer, both of them staring at the feathered creature Horror was holding out to Nightmare.

"A turkey, thanks Dust", Killer mumbled. "So, what did you get a turkey for?"

"Food", Horror said and smiled as Nightmare took the creature, glad to see his Boss accepting the gift.

"Well, that certainly is the freshest piece of meat we ever had", Nightmare said and gently patted Horror's head with a tentacle. "Well done."

"But.. I mean look at that scrawny creature", Killer protested again and Nightmare glared at him in annoyance. "No way that's gonna be enough for all of us."

Sometimes Nightmare wondered if he was the only one who remembered the importance food had to Horrortale monsters and how much value something as fresh as that turkey must have. "I'm sure Horror will find enough side dishes so no one has to go hungry."

"Oh, we don't even have to", Horror announced proudly and fumbled with his inventory to pull out something that looked suspiciously like bird food. "I have organized this!"

"Premium turkey power food – to get your turkey nice and round in no time", Dust read out loud.

Killer just stared a little confused as Nightmare hugged Horror with a tentacle and said: "You really thought this through didn't you. That is really kind of you. And now come, we will organize a room for the turkey to stay in until we will eat it."

After the two left Killer turned to Dust, still not believing this happened. "Did he just-"

"Well, he just gave the Boss a living turkey, yes."


	10. Day 11: Cards

“Killer, you're cheating again”, Nightmare mumbled, shaking his head in disappointment.

“Wh- no, I'm not!”, Killer exclaimed.

“There are only four draw four cards in this UNO set and that was already the fifth one you played”, Nightmare stated. “Which in itself is impossible already, but I also have two of these cards on my hand”, he said and held up the cards in question. “And Horror has the rest of the deck on his hand because he's the unfortunate soul sitting next to you.” Nightmare got up and placed his cards on the table. “Now make sure the cards are back to their usual number. I'll play with you again once you learned to play fair. Until then you'll help Horror in the kitchen – and clean the hallway on your own.”

Everyone stared at Nightmare until he left, then Dust started laughing so much it brought tears to his eyes. “I can't believe you cheated against the Boss! At UNO!”

“I can't believe he counted cards!”, Killer whined. “He said he didn't know the game before.”

“Can't believe I actually have to deal with you in the kitchen”, Horror said, sinking back into the sofa.

“I can't believe I'm no longer on cleaning duty”, Cross smiled, unwrapping a chocolate bar.


	11. Day 12: Tree

Nightmare climbed up the tree after Dream left for the village, hands and legs moving on their own, the best way up already memorized in his very core from how often he did this. With a sigh he settled on the highest branch he could reach and pulled his book out of his tunic.

It was a nice day, the sun shining bright in the sky already, having fought off the clouds as soon as she could. On days like these Dream would always drag him off to the river to play..

Nightmare sighed. These days were gone, destroyed by the village that formed, by the people's arrival that made it necessary for him to guard the tree at all time, for Dream to go as soon as the first rays of sun illuminated the tree and only come back when it had long settled behind the village. It saddened him.

Nightmare yelped as he got hugged from behind, almost dropping his book, his fight or flight instincts kicking in. None of the villagers ever managed to climb the tree, so who-

“H-hey Night, a-are you.. okay?”, Dream asked as he let go of his squirming brother.

“D-dream?”, Nightmare asked and turned around to see the person that had managed to sneak up on him really was the bright guardian.

Dream nodded. “Sorry, did I scare you?”

Nightmare started laughing, mainly to cover his shock, to not show his fear to Dream. “Oh stars, yes you did!”, he said, lifting his hand to his head to wipe off the tears that had almost spilled. “I thought.. y-you just left.”

“Hmm”, Dream nodded in agreement. “I came back. I want to spend the day with you, like we did before..”

Dream's voice was raised, implying he intended to say some more, but it seemed he had decided not to and Nightmare didn't want to push it. He was just happy to see Dream. But..

“But the villagers..”

“They can wait”, Dream said. “They don't need me today, they can manage without me for these few hours. I want to spend time with you today, Night!”

“We.. we shouldn't leave the tree..”

“I know”, Dream sighed. “That's okay, trust me.” He settled on the branch next to Nightmare and looked over the other's shoulder. “So, what are you reading..”

As Nightmare woke up and slowly opened his eyes all he saw was the red sky of his destroyed AU. He sat up with a groan, seems he had fallen asleep against the old stump of the tree again.

He sighed and took his head into his hands, it felt so heavy..

He quickly pulled his hand away again, it was wetter than normal.. he had been crying again, huh? He angrily wiped at his face, that time was long in the past and there was no use mourning it. They could never.. get those days back.

Not that he waned to anyway.


	12. Day 13: Blitz and Day 14: Pie

It was pouring outside, dark clouds covered the sky and made this beautiful afternoon seem like night save for the bright bursts of lightning that tore the sky apart every now and then, followed by the loud rumble of thunder.

Nightmare was surprised to hear a knock on his door on a day like this, almost sure everyone was minding their own busyness. He was even more surprised to see Dream on his doorstep, dripping from head to toe and trembling – not only from being cold.

Nightmare sighed and called it a momentary truce, offered the other a warm shower and brought him some of his own clothes to wear for the time of his stay, hanging the yellow tunic above the fireplace to dry.

They didn't exchange a single word the whole time and Nightmare wondered how they ended up like this, Dream cuddled up against his side on his bed, trembling and crawling closer to him every time the world outside the window got brighter again or the loud sound of thunder broke Nightmare's voice off for while. He was reading a book to his brother and if he ignored the bed they sat on, the building they were in he could almost think back to the old times. No fights, no angry screaming, just two brothers and a tree.

But this time was in the past and he had no idea what this situation was or what to make of it.

So he just sighed as Dream finally fell asleep and put the book aside, placing the blanket over the other's arms a little more before he lay down next to him.

If he was asked later, he would deny that he hugged his brother, would deny he crawled just a little closer in his sleep.

Dream stayed overnight and in the morning hours Nightmare took him to the kitchen for breakfast. They were greeted by a freshly baked pie and a note from the crew. Nightmare tugged the note away to read later before Dream noticed it, then gestured for the other to sit down.

Nobody said a word when Nightmare closed the door and sat down to share one or two pieces of pie with the visitor.

Nobody said a word when after breakfast Dream changed into his now dry outfit again and left, waving goodbye to Nightmare like old friends do.

Nobody said anything when they all went back to fighting again the next day.

Maybe it was better to have everything back to normal.

No one ever questioned the strange visit that one stormy day. It wasn't ever mentioned again after.


	13. Day 17: Candles

"I don't get it", Nightmare mumbled as he placed down another candle on the makeshift shrine they built.

"You don't have to", Killer whispered as he walked out of the shadows behind the other, placing a blanket over Nightmare's shoulders. "Some things.. don't have explanations, and some explanations aren't made for us to understand."

"What use is there to immortality if all it ever brought me was sadness, loss.."

"...", Killer stayed quiet, he didn't know how to answer. All he knew was that he didn't have long anymore either and it pained him already.

He had a good life after the king rescued him, long and fulfilling. But it was time that his soul lay to rest as well, just like his friends did before him.

"Why must I watch all of you die?", Nightmare asked as he finally stood up from his kneeling position. "I live on unchanged, unfazed by all of this, it's not fair."

"Boss", Killer said, hugging the other. He trailed his arms up to Nightmare's chest, right above his soul. "They may not be visible, but we did leave marks on you. I'm sorry you have to carry them with you, maybe it really would've been better if we didn't.."

Nightmare gripped down on Killer's shoulders like his life depended on the other, pressing his head against the other's chest. Killer could've sworn he heard a sob.

"Don't leave me, please."

Killer sighed. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to hurt Nightmare even more by telling him the truth. "I'll stay as long as I can", he settled on. "And now, let's go back in, you should-"

"Eat?", Nightmare asked sarcastic. "Sleep? I don't need to, remember? That's just the monster I am."

"You're not-! You're a God, Nightmare!"

"Then why! Why can't I-", his harsh tone broke as a sob tore though his whole body. "-why can't I get you to stay with me?"

 _Because death is stronger than you_ , Killer thought as he picked Nightmare up and carried him back into the little hut they shared nowadays.


	14. Day 20: Red

Red

Red was the liquid that dripped from the other's fingers, from the weapon they were holding. Red had stained their clothes, smeared across their face in a futile attempt to get rid of it.

They looked up at him, eyes full of so many things, so many things he had seen on himself before.

Hatred, fear, desperation, exhaustion.

The god knew he might not be able to give them what he wanted, but he could give them something better than what they had at the moment and for now that was better than nothing.

He held his hand out, expression kinder than one would assume he could manage and he waited. Like when you try to lure in a wounded animal to help them. It takes time for them to come to you even if you offer food and he knew.

And he waited.

And eventually the other took that last step towards him, red-stained fingers wrapping around the god's dark, cold hands. It was hesitant, nothing like a handshake, the other could pull away any time and the god would let them.

But they didn't and he smiled teleporting both of them away.

The place they got to was warmer than the place they were before, if not _warm_ , but it was something.

It wasn't red, there was no red to be seen at all in the area they arrived in.

The god let go of their hand and they almost wanted to take it back, hold it a little longer but they didn't say it.

They took a step forward, looking around a little longer. A room with a bed, a wardrobe, some other furniture.. it didn't look lively, in fact, it looked like it had never been lived in before, but it was a room.

“Take a good look at it”, the god spoke in a dark, rumbling voice. It wasn't harsh at all, it almost sounded warm, kind and nothing like one would have expected. “It will be your room from now on. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to call me.”

They nodded and the god moved towards the door. “If there is nothing more you need, I'll leave for now. I can show you around once you've settled, but you may want to shower and rest for now.”

They nodded again, still unable to speak even a single word and watched the god leave. This place already felt a lot more like home than where they came from.

And once they showered there was no red, nothing to remember their past except for themselves. The god never asked, never spoke before they did, he didn't bring up any subject that could make them uncomfortable.

And neither did the others.


	15. Day 21: Fire

And Nightmare just stood there, watching the fires burn higher and higher, hungrily consuming what he knew where buildings before. Reds and oranges lit up the sky, making this one afternoon look like evening already, as if the sun was setting when it was only hidden behind clouds of smoke.

In an attempt to keep him safe his brother had consumed the forbidden fruits, had ascended, grown wings of fire and become the sun itself, though burning brighter and hotter than the glowing mass of energy. And his rage had send out sparks of energy, loaded enough to set the village aflame.

The way he hovered above it, he really looked like an angel sent to make them pay for what they did - That must have been what the villagers thought.

After Dream calmed down he flew back to Nightmare only to tell the small guardian not to get to close to him until he could control the fire that burned in and around him, scared of is powers. He was still the same person as before, scared to hurt others – the only thing that changed was the was he looked.

But Nightmare had been burned enough times to not fear the fire anymore and he walked towards the other, *almost* touching him as he started a dance around his lover. Sparks lit up between their fingers as they brushed against each other in their dance of fire and ice. And they danced.

They danced until the cold of the night took some of the fires warmth, calmed it and made it bearable. And they sighed in relief as they could finally touch again, hug again, *kiss again*.

And despite everything they still loved, loved each other while the flames settled to smoke and the fire died down leaving a devastated village, a memory burned to ashes behind them as they walked towards the forest, hand in hand, leaving the empty tree that no longer needed protection.


	16. Dream and Nightmare's birthday 21/12

The first thing Nightmare saw when he got back to his room was the present, wrapped in yellow sitting on his table. The second thing he noticed was the skeleton, dressed in yellow sitting on the windowsill.

“Dream”, he said, voice as cold as always, “You got better at hiding your aura.”

“Thanks for the compliment, brother”, Dream answered with a fake laugh. “I'm trying my best.”

“So, what's with that.. box?”, Nightmare asked, refusing to acknowledge it as a present.

“It's a present, Nightmare”, Dream smiled hurt. “And it's for you. It's our birthday after all, and to celebrate that special occasion, presents are given if the person means something to you..”

“We're five-hundred years old, Dream! Tradition, festivities, celebrations – they change as quick as everything else and are nothing we should care about.”

“Birthdays were always celebrated, even those five-hundred years ago..”

“We didn't celebrate it for five-hundred years though.”

*And who's fault is that?*, Dream wanted to yell, but Nightmare hadn't thrown him out yet and he didn't want to risk it.

“I want to make up for these years”, Dream told his brother instead. “You don't have to open it, you can leave it like that, throw it away, destroy it – I won't care for it is yours now. I await nothing in return, no words, no actions, just.. just for you to accept this present from me, that is all.”

Nightmare turned around, away from him and Dream always thought this conversation was over. Nightmare was rummaging through one of his shelves, it seemed.

“Fine”, he finally said and turned around again, facing Dream. “I'll accept your stupid attempt at whatever this is. I don't care.” He took a single step towards Dream and held a thing – a small box, wrapped in some dark paper – up by a tentacle. “If you're going back to old traditions, I might as well. That last time we couldn't celebrate five-hundred years ago, that's what this is from. I don't know why I kept it, but it was for you, so you better take it and leave now!”

Nightmare shoved the small box into Dream's hands and before Dream could say anything else a portal appeared below him, taking him away from his brother's castle.

Nightmare looked at the windowsill for a long time still after he teleported the other away. This didn't mean anything to him, he told himself. He didn't care about that golden idiot.

And yet, that present, neatly wrapped with so much care and love emanating from it – it tempted him.

He sighed and sat down at the table, turning the present a few times before he finally decided to unwrap it. Carefully his fingers moved across the thin paper, only opening the taped ends, not ripping anything. It was an old habit of his, carefully opening what he got to not damage the packaging. He could never know when he might need it again.

The first thing he saw as he finally managed to open the wrapping was a book. It looked old – at least five-hundred years old, actually, worn and slightly damaged on the edges, yellow pages, but no stains. A good condition assuming it's age really were multiple centuries.

Nightmare opened it to get a glance at the title as the cover didn't read it and was shocked to find out it was a copy of his favourite book. The one that the villagers destroyed, ripped page for page and threw them into the river while holding him to make him watch without being able to do anything. Dream always asked where the book was after that, aware how much Nightmare loved it.

Nightmare was so sure it was a book that had only ever existed in Dreamtale, he had searched the whole multiverse for a copy after the incident – without avail.

And now it was here, right in front of him. Dream did this for him. His brother remembered how much this book meant to him even after all these years and he actually thought to give him, his worst enemy what was probably the last existing copy of it.

Nightmare wasn't crying, he couldn't be because how was he supposed to see the second present Dream had given him, hidden between the pages if he was?

It was a necklace, a golden apple dangling from it and he could open it like those heart-shaped lockets for couples. But instead of a cheesy photo it opened to a small drawing that Dream drew all these years back of them happily sitting under the tree – their mother – smiling without a care in the world.

 _These times may be gone_ , it read on the other side, _but my love for you is not. I'll always wait for you to come back home_

Nightmare didn't cry, he lied to himself as he closed the pendant again and fumbled to get the necklace around his neck, fingers rubbing over the apple for a long time still.

* * *

Dream yelped as he got thrown out of the portal to a random AU. He scanned the area quickly but it turned out it was a peaceful one and he relaxed a little. It was still day and so he decided to sit down on the hill he appeared on and unwrap the present.

It was wrapped in a completely different paper than the one they used back in the old day and that was how Dream knew Nightmare had been lying. The present was as new as it could be.

Inside of it was a bracelet, golden with the sun and all phases of the moon dangling on it. And in old letters – the ones they used five-hundred years ago it spelled *Dream* on the front. It spelled Dream the way only the both of them knew how to and it meant so, so much to the little guardian that he held it close to his chest for a long time before he finally decided to wear it around his wrist, showing off something only he and his brother knew the meaning to.

This was something between the two of them, something for them only, keeping secrets the way they always did, hiding from a world that didn't understand them.

It was beautiful.


	17. Day 25: Reunion

"Why are you here?", he asked. Nightmare always thought he was the only one who kept coming back but the person sitting on the stump of the tree right now, back to back with him proofed him wrong.

"I'm sorry", Dream whispered. "I didn't know you'd be here today, I- I can leave if you don't want me here."

Though Dream already knew the answer to that was no. He tried to leave the moment Nightmare arrived in their old home but he got wrapped up in tentacles faster than he could form a portal.

"That's not an answer to my question, Dream", Nightmare breathed out annoyed.

"It's.. not the first time", Dream finally said, though Nightmare expected as much. "Anger, sadness, sorrow, guilt, longing, loneliness, reminiscence.. there are a lot of reasons for me to keep coming back, but I'm not sure if it even is any of them."

Nightmare hummed in agreement, he felt the same. Something urged him to come back, something stronger than his sorrow or his guilt. It must've been the same for Dream.

They sat in silence for a while after Dream admitted to what Nightmare feared would be his reason, just looking across the red fields of their destroyed home. They didn't see them though, they saw green fields, trees where only ashes remained, saw each other, young and inexperienced, just children playing and they remembered all the good times.

Though, all of that quickly shifted for both of them as a cold breeze touched their faces, caressed their boned. And suddenly there was a village in the corner of their eyes, villagers that caused nothing but pain to both of them, forced each of the twins to wear a perfectly crafted mask of their own in hopes of not hurting the other.

None of that paid out in the end, they knew and before they could look into their past to see what neither wanted to relive they tore the other out of the illusion of something else with their aura.

It hurt a lot and yet less than the memory would have. They weren't unaffected to the other's destined power anymore now that they both had a soul and it took them some time to recover.

"Have you.. ever thought about.. what could've been?", Nightmare asked after he recovered from what he just saw. "What could've been done differently."

"Every single day", Dream said with a silent sob, the memories leaving him without the walls he had usually built around himself. "Not a day passed where I didn't ask myself, where I didn't *hate* myself for being so blind back then. I can see it so clearly now – I wasn't helping anyone back then – especially not you, for whom I should have been there through everything. I really am the worst brother!"

Nightmare winced at Dream's words. That.. was not what he wanted to hear. It hurt him – all the negative emotions it stirred up in Dream, something he'd usually enjoy – it really hurt him.

And in the blink of an eye he turned around, used his tentacles to turn Dream to face him and hugged him close with both arms just like he used to.

“Don't _ever_ say that about yourself again”, he whispered almost angry. “You were the best brother – the best twin – I could have ever wished for! You were everything to me! My only light I ever saw at the end of the tunnel, when you came back to our tree was when my sun rose up into the sky even though it set for everyone else. And yet – in my attempts to protect you I only hurt both of us. So if anyone – if anyone deserves to be called a bad brother-”

“It's neither of us, right?”, Dream hummed, hugging Nightmare, one hand brushing away a stray tear from the other's face. “My brother is the best, has always been. My brother is strong, he's the light of the moon and the stars together.”

Nightmare grabbed Dream's hand before he could lower it again, pressed his face into it a little more, desperately craving the other's touch he missed for five-hundred years. “You're right. We might have hurt each other, but in the end – that doesn't mean we can't forgive, right?”

Dream nodded. “Forgiven, if not forgotten for we should remember our mistakes to prevent repeating them.”

They spent some more time like that, neither willing to let go until Nightmare said: “I don't like this place”, and stood up, dragging Dream up with him. “We should go somewhere else so we can talk, discuss how we want to proceed from now on-”

“I'd like somewhere warm, hot chocolate, blankets – just like back then, but without a tree to our backs”, Dream chuckled.

“Let's go then”, Nightmare smiled and opened a portal.


	18. Day 29: Tradition

Away from the main events, in a very far corner of Outertale covered in nothing but flowers and grass lay two skeletons, not moving, not talking, only looking up at the star-covered sky. No sound could be heard but the distant laughing and talking of the inhabitants of the place, nothing moving but the grass, softly rustling in a wind that should not exist in such a place.

The silence might seem suffocating to anyone else, but not to these two. They were glad they were not screaming at each other for once, not at each others throats this time, no lies and hurtful words spilled they might not even mean, no one hurt by attacks they never meant to send the other's way.

It had become a tradition for them to call a ceasefire over Christmas, to not interrupt each other when they were spending the holidays with their respective teams. And once the festivities were over they would meet in the one AU Outcodes seemed to gather but never attack and lie together, next to each other, drowning in the other's aura because no matter how much they wanted to deny it – they needed each other, couldn't spent too much time apart for they completed the other, kept each other alive.

And they pretended, as always. If they looked up at the sky and the sky only, not looking left or right; if they couldn't see the other they weren't there, right? And if the other wasn't there, there was no need to explain this very strange situation that reoccurred every year, no need to explain how good it felt to just be like this.

They never remember how long they spend like that, but they do know – at the end of the day they are back with their group like nothing ever happened.


	19. Day 31: Sleep

_For some people forgetting is easy_

_but not for you_

_for memories were all you ever had_

_and every single thing you saw could stir up another one for you._

_If you were lucky, they were nice:_

_Soft hands, smiling faces, kind voices._

_But more often than not you remembered_

_the dripping of blood, the metallic smell_

_the burning of smoke in your throats_

_and the way the dust was collecting in the wind_

_flying off to the blood-red sky._

_And the suffocating aura that had both of you scared,_

_the feeling of hard, cold rock as everything came to a halt._

_For five-hundred years you suffered alone_

_suffered the cold, the darkness_

_and, most of all, the events you couldn't forget and yet_

_had to re-live, unable to talk, unable to explain._

_And after, as you finally found one another_

_you were locked in endless battle_

_Always at each other's throats._

_Because you failed to talk, to say what you wanted to_

_letting your hands and weapons speak_

_words you never meant._

_And you gathered allies along the way - to fight for you_

_was what you said was the reason._

_And maybe it was - at least at first,_

_but they became more than that_

_and you once again had a family._

_But it pained you, because even though it was what you needed_

_it wasn't what you wanted._

_Your family was lacking one specific person;_

_Your enemy._

_And all this time, you never saw a way to get out,_

_get them back -_

_to stop fighting_

_For many years you were stuck in this limbo_

_until your weapons – accidentally for sure-_

_pierced clothing first, then bone, reaching the other's core._

_For many years you suffered, the absence of each other making you sick_

_although you were always close enough to touch._

_Maybe now, even though the circumstances are unfortunate,_

_you will finally be able to sleep._

“For a while at least”, Hearts mumbled as he finished, pouring the two brothers' dust into the dirt beneath him, covering it with the bits he dug out before.

“And when you wake again”, he placed the two crowns on top before he stood up, “We will be there for you, to prevent anyone from hurting you again, so the events of the past don't have to repeat.”

He turned around and with a sad smile he looked at the rest of their little groups. The “Bad Guys”, the “Stars” and even Error had come today. They didn't fight after each side lost a part, a family member.

They all got together, made a promise, gathered here to lay their friends to rest. And they'll still be there when the tree grows again and the guardians are born anew. They will be there for them, if they remember or not.

They were tortured enough by memories already anyway.


End file.
